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Format: Novella
Chapters: 8
Word Count: 19,031
Status: WIP
Rating: 15+
Warnings: Mild Language, Scenes of a Mild Sexual Nature
Genres: Romance, Angst
Characters: Draco, Ginny, Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione, OC, Remus Lupin, Ron, Fred/George, M. McGonagall
Pairings:
First Published: 11/19/2005
Last Chapter: 01/29/2006
Last Updated: 01/29/2006
Summary:
Ron, Hermione and Harry are still best friends and will always be through the hardest of times. Until Hermione and Ron get themselves into unexpected trouble. (great banner by secret_soul!)
Chapter 1: Grown Up
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All love that has not friendship for its base,
is like a mansion built upon the sand.
~ by Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~
Chapter One: Grown Up
Hermione stretched and yawned, smiling at the soft rays of sun that filtered onto her quilt. She stopped smiling and squinted at the unfamiliar quilt until she remembered. She was at the Burrow. She hopped out of bed, throwing back the covers and flung out her arms as if to touch the ceiling. She felt great!
With a light step she went down the creaky stairs, throwing her frayed robe around her shoulders. She looked at it distastefully; she really needed to get a new one.
"Good morning, Hermione, dear." The pleasant voice floated to Hermione's ears like a fresh waft of summer air.
"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione replied, taking a seat at the worn table.
"I really wish you'd call me Molly or mum." Mrs. Weasley had turned from the boiling pot, a smile on her face. Hermione smiled back, but didn't answer. The door suddenly flew open, emitting a redheaded whirlwind.
"Mum! Ginny broke my broomstick! That's the-." Ron Weasley stopped in his tracks and stared at the girl sitting at the table.
"Hello, Ron." Hermione said, without looking up, missing the priceless gape on Ron's face.
"He-Hermione! When did you get here?"
"Last night. You were in bed, your mum told me." Hermione looked up from the book she had slid in front of her and opened. She did not look surprised at the growing blush on Ron's face. She studied him; red fiery hair, like always, freckled nose, cloudy blue eyes and…Hermione couldn't help but notice that something about Ron had changed. She had not seen him since their last year of Hogwarts, which was only about two months ago.
"Have you done something to yourself, Ron?" Hermione asked, tilting her head and furrowing a brow at him. Ron grew dangerously pink again.
"No, why do you say that?" He stammered, averting his eyes from the beautiful girl sitting before him. Hermione just shook her head and turned back to the book just as Ron's mother came to the table.
"Ron, look at you! You're sweating like a dog! Go wash up or you won't be getting any breakfast." With one last, fleeting glance at Hermione, Ron disappeared upstairs.
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Hermione got dressed slowly, looking at the sunny day through the open window. She was satisfied that no one was looking in, so she enjoyed the breeze against her bare skin.
She slid on a pair of jeans and then a beaded tank top and threw on a fuzzy sweater over it. It may be summer, but the weather could change easily.
Hermione sat down on the window seat and looked at the Weasley garden. A lawn gnome ran across the yard, chased by a furry orange ball Hermione recognized as her cat, Crookshanks. She smiled then smoothed an unruly lock of hair down.
Then, she sighed. She was seventeen now, and out of Hogwarts, a place she called her second home. She felt a little homesick, even, but being around Ron and his family would effectively cheer her up. Plus, her other best friend Harry Potter was coming along this summer to join them.
"Hermione?" A voice called through the door. Hermione got up and went to it, opening it. Ron stood at the door, shirtless, rubbing his head with a towel, another one wrapped around his torso.
"What?" Hermione asked a little rudely, out of shock at the half naked figure at her door. Now she knew what had changed about him.
"Uh…sorry, but I was wondering if mum left me any food." Ron had turned a shade of pink.
"Huh? Oh yeah, of course." Hermione stammered, the one to blush even harder. She closed the door in his face, softly, but she still felt oddly ashamed. But what ever was he doing knocking at her door undressed?
Ron stood at Hermione's door a moment longer, holding his breath. He inwardly slapped himself for his foolishness. He should have known that she wouldn't want to seem him in his towel and that he should have gotten dressed instead of being lazy.
He went downstairs and ate the leftovers his mother had left out for him, chewing slowly despite his growling stomach. He didn't know why he was so embarrassed to see one of his best friends, when he had known her since they were eleven, but all of a sudden, every time he saw her, it made his heart jump. It all started the beginning of sixth year.
He shook his red head and sighed. It would get better when Harry came and they could talk it out. That is, if Harry wasn't too busy spending time with his sister. They weren't officially going out, but it wouldn't have mattered if they did, since they already acted like they were.
"Ron! I heard Hermione was here!" Ginny came through the door, her hair windswept and her sweater dotted with twigs and leaves.
"Yeah, upstairs." Ron answered glumly, shoving a forkful of food in his mouth to avoid further interrogation. Ginny stared at him for a moment before racing upstairs to greet her friend.
Ron slid back his plate, got up and went to the window. He looked at the sun, a cloud drifting lazily across it, and then smiled wryly. Maybe it won't be so bad, he thought.
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Harry came a week after Hermione to find that everyone had his or her own little routine. Ginny and Hermione would wake up the same time Ron would be out practicing Quidditch outside, then they would all eat breakfast while Ron showered then Ron would eat by himself while the girls sat upstairs talking or staying outside to keep healthy.
"Aren't you lonely?" Harry asked, dragging his trunk into the kitchen. Ron shrugged and swung his gangly legs over the bench to help Harry get his trunk in.
"No. It's actually quite peaceful." Ron replied, not stopping the hint of sarcasm in his voice. Harry straightened up and eyed his friend.
"It's Hermione isn't it?" He said gravely. Ron inwardly cursed his friend for seeing right through him.
"Hermione what?" He spat, letting go of the trunk's handle and sitting back down.
"Hermione is bothering you." Harry said patiently, leaning up against the wall and crossing his arms.
"No!" Ron turned violently red.
"Okay, whatever, Ron. I don't want to argue. Will you help me get this thing upstairs?" Harry asked, admitting defeat. Ron nodded and both boys got up to drag the heavy load upstairs.
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